i've sometimes used some dr. bronners soap mixed with some garlic oil.

the last time i saw so many aphids that i thought i needed to treat, i mixed up the above concoction, and when i went outside, the rose bush was covered with lacewings, who had eaten all the aphids. don't know if a neighbor brought them in, or if they came on their own to eat the aphids.

dish soap and water will work. you just have to do it several times, then stay on top of it.

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+1 on the ladybugs (though I think it is the adult, not the larvae, that are the aphids dominant natural predator). "Adult ladybugs can eat up to a 1000 aphids a day and as a larvae, about half as many" Article Linky

We have an unreal amount of aphids out in the tall grass of the wetlands here. The ladybug population is right there with them (go figure). I've not had a problem with the aphids in the hive or elsewhere - though their molting and sugary excretions make for a mess if you have to venture into the tall grass. The ladybugs though... they seem to get in the house early every spring. Not a big deal really (no damage) but... :roll:

You can try home made white oil by mixing 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid detergent with 1 cup of cooking oil; add 1 to 2.5 teaspoons of this solution to 1 cup of water, spray onto plants every 10 days.

It works by suffocating the creature. :evil:

Mick

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Sounds great. So if I had a bunch of soybean, say 80 acres with aphids, would 2000 populate fast enough to get rid of the problem. I would really love to know what kind of measures it would take to cure the problem. Last year, where my hive are now there was about 80 acers of soybean that were sprayed for aphids. Thankfully there is corn there this year. I guess it was the first time that the aphids got bad enough that action was required. It was not hot last year and I guess the conditions were ripe for there numbers to explode. This said, I want to be able to avoid a potential spray in the future with ladybugs if I can.

Does anybody have experence with this. Please elaborate it you do.

Thanks,Bee-nuts

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Hmmm, bee-nuts. Here in central WI, we have a huge Asian beetle problem, which were brought in to control soybean aphids. No problems with soybean aphids now, just a HUGE population of Asian beetles once it freezes and the soybeans die back, leaving the beetles nowhere to live.

One other way to kill aphids: Take 1-2 cups of tomato leaves (I strip the bottom leaves off my plants anyway) and chop up finely. Add 2 cups water. Let steep for 1 day. Strain into a spray bottle. Spray affected plants. This is also supposed to attract beneficial parasitic wasps that prey on other garden pests.

I haven't tried this yet but just brewed up a batch and hope it helps! Obviously, you wouldn't want to spray this on anything you intend to eat soon...

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If it was my yard I would get 10 or so packets about 20,000 lady's. I have gotten one package of 2000 and they took care of mine and my neighbors yard they are still all over the place. It is great and my kids love watching the diff. stages of metamorphosis of the lady's. That's what I would do 100 bucks is definitely worth a try. I'm guessing it is still cheaper than chemicals. Just my 2 cents.

David

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I was wondering why they needed to spray for aphids with the asain bettles around myself. My uncle rents his land (where I keep my bees of course) to a crop farmer who just pays the property taxes. This is how most retired farmers keep there land without having to sell it nowadays around here. Anyway, I guess a guy was coming by every so often and the aphids got out of control. Never was a problem before acording to my uncle. My bees are in a old pasture between two crop fields whick puts my bee in the middle. I guess as long as there not in bloom you may be ok but if they are, you are in big trouble. My guess is then if the asain bettles didnt do it, cause I know they were around, then the ladybugs would not have done much better. That said though nest year im sure they will plant soybeans again and if i Find the aphids I will maybe try a package earyl before they are a problem and hopefully never have one. Besides, I used to love lady bugs when I was a kid. You did not see them often and when you did it was kind of like finding a four leaf clover. Why the heck did they not use the ladybugs instead of those dam stinky asain home invadin practacly preditor-less pests. Next, some idiot will try to cross breed killer bees with euros. Oh yeah they already did. Idiots.

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